A process for efficiently obtaining ethylene by thermal cracking of ethane has been widely known. However, in conventionally known processes, ethylene can be produced in high yield; however, olefin having 3 or more carbon atoms is produced only in an extremely small amount.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,223,895 (Patent Document 1) discloses a process for producing propylene from ethylene, which is obtained by thermal cracking of ethane in the presence of steam, by use of a metathesis reaction.